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The surest way to increase the odds of a smooth, painless sale is to set an appropriate price for your home. Despite this fact, many home owners become a little too ambitious with their listing price.

 

Always perform some market research and work with an agent to set a reasonable listing price. Doing so will help you avoid these common problems:

 

Lingering Listing

 Home buyers will tend to steer towards listings they see as a good value. If your home is priced higher than other comparable properties, they may pass on viewing or buying it for cheaper listings. The more often this reaction happens, the more likely your home is to sit on the market.

 

Even if a quick sale is not your chief concern, a prolonged listing period can harm your ability to sell at all. Buyers and the representing real estate agents may question if there is something wrong with your house. They may judge any defects they do find more harshly as a result.

 

Others may play the waiting game to see if you become desperate enough to chip away at your asking price. In either scenario, any interested parties will expect more and want to pay less.

 

There is also the danger that you are pricing your home out of many buyers’ search criteria. People looking online will often place a cap on their home listing price. Your home may be just out of their budget. This can consequently get your home screened out of their search results.

 

Incessant Immaculacy

 Having a clean home is absolutely vital when showing the property. You must keep the lawn and interior maintained. You will also have to put away a majority of your personal belongings to keep the property from looking cluttered or disorganized.

 

Putting on appearances for a couple of days a month can be fine for a while. Constantly having to tidy up for months on end can get old fast. Eventually, your stress levels will elevate after having to repeat the same tasks over and over again.

 

Anemic Appraisal

 If your buyer is going to secure financing in order to purchase your home, they must first get an appraisal. Should their appraisal fall well short of your asking price, they will be unable to pay for the property in full and must find a way to close the gap.

 

This sudden realization will delay a sale significantly. Many times, they are simply unable to purchase the home in this situation, and you must start back from square one with another buyer.

 

All of these factors are why it is important to set a reasonable price from the beginning. Work closely with an experienced real estate agent to determine a fair price for your home given the current market and comparable listings. To find out more about reliable home selling techniques, take a look at our selling page.

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As society and technology progresses, so do our homes. Gone are features like overhead fluorescent lighting and wood paneling. In their place are energy efficiency, neutral colors and open floor plans.

 

The most luxurious homes usually boast the cutting edge of these trends. Some design choices will find their way down to more moderate homes. Other features will be truly reserved for only the most opulent Burnaby real estate properties.

With this in mind, here are some of the most notable amenities that luxury home buyers have begun seeking.

Automated Subterranean Parking

The wealthy tend to curate a collection of beautiful and exotic cars. These vehicles make a profound statement both for onlookers and upon the person lucky enough to be in the driver’s seat.

Unfortunately, large garages that hold four or more cars tend to swallow up a great deal of a property’s square footage. A huge garage can also blemish an otherwise elegant front elevation view of the home.

 

To solve this problem, some luxury home owners are turning to sophisticated underground parking garages. These systems allow you to park your vehicle in a dock where it is automatically arranged and stored. You can retrieve the car you want later with the simple push of a button. This type of system is not only convenient, but it also feels slick and futuristic.

Entertaining Wine Cellars

A wine cellar that looks and feels like a cave is no longer acceptable. Home owners want to know that they can get some extra utility out of their investment.

 

Instead of letting their wine cellars remain a gloomy and uncomfortable lair, they have begun to add furniture and fixtures. Dining rooms arrangements are especially popular since they offer an excellent thematic venue to entertain guests. Decorative accents make this already dramatic setting even more striking. All of these amenities can be bolstered by adjustable temperatures, humidity and ambient lighting.

Highly Advanced Purification Systems

Not every luxury home addition has to be merely aesthetic. Luxury home owners are becoming more interested in protecting themselves from health problems that can come from impure air and water entering the home.

 

For example, central HVAC systems are being paired with sophisticated multi-zone air purification systems. UV lights and HEPA filters all filter out allergens, carcinogens and other impurities that lead to poor indoor air quality.

Installation of large, industrial-strength water filters and purifiers are on the rise. These systems filter water coming into the house, and they are often coupled with charcoal or cartridge filters at drinking water dispensers.

 

These three luxury amenities are just a taste of what modern luxury homes can offer. To find out more about homes with lavish amenities in the Burnaby area, take a look at our listings.

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I have just listed another property at 825 GROVE AVE in Burnaby.
Quality European custom built home in PRIME-PRIME location. Features 6 bedrooms, 4 full bathrooms, 2 kitchens, grande foyer with spiral staircase, bamboo engineered floors, granite floorings, open kitchen, secured back yard. Has option of1 bedroom or 2 bedroom suite. Walking distance to Burnaby North High school, Kensington Mall, Safeway, transit, banks, medical offices, golf driving range. Minutes to SFU and Coquitlam. 10 minutes to 2nd narrow bridge enroute to North Vancouver. Preview open house on Thursday, Dec 18th, 10am -12 noon and full open house on Saturday Dec 20th, 2-4 pm.
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Please visit our Open House at 825 GROVE AVE in Burnaby.
Open House on Saturday, December 20, 2014 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Quality European custom built home in PRIME-PRIME location. Features 6 bedrooms, 4 full bathrooms, 2 kitchens, grande foyer with spiral staircase, bamboo engineered floors, granite floorings, open kitchen, secured back yard. Has option of1 bedroom or 2 bedroom suite. Walking distance to Burnaby North High school, Kensington Mall, Safeway, transit, banks, medical offices, golf driving range. Minutes to SFU and Coquitlam. 10 minutes to 2nd narrow bridge enroute to North Vancouver. Preview open house on Thursday, Dec 18th, 10am -12 noon and full open house on Saturday Dec 20th, 2-4 pm.
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I just sold another property at 5115 FRANCES ST in Burnaby.
Stunning southern view of Metrotown with an unbelievablely big lot: 40 x 181. This immaculate owner occupied 1/2 duplex features 2525sf, 5 bedrooms plus den which includes 2 bedroom downstairs, 4 full bathrooms, large enclosed deck, 2 cargarage, large private backyard, gas fireplace, granite counters, high crawlspace with tons of storage and lots of sunlight. Central location with walking distance to transit. Minutes to Safeway, SFU, Burnaby North High catchment and Capitol Hill schools. Don't miss this opportunity.
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Some of the most advanced modern amenities are designed to hide behind your walls or within your floors. These systems add true value and functionality to your home, simplifying some tasks while enhancing your ability to do others. They can increase your comfort levels while living in the home, and they offer a unique selling point when you decide to move out.

 

Radiant Floor Heating

 

This incredibly useful heating technique installs directly underneath your floorboards. Coils of conductive metal or water are woven throughout the floor to give the surface an even coverage. These elements are attached to a heating system that runs radiant heat through the lines.

 

When the lines heat up, their warmth seeps through the floor into objects and people. The end result is a toasty warmness that comes from within the house rather than the ambient air.

 

Best of all, this type of system can actually reduce your heating bills by using less energy to heat your home. Traditional furnaces are great at making a room “feel” warm while your teeth are still chattering.

 

This phenomenon occurs because objects in the room are still at a lower temperature; your body will transfer heat when it comes into contact with them. The biggest culprit for heat loss is the floor.

 

Central Vacuum Systems

 

Rather than having to carry around a cumbersome vacuum unit, central vacuum systems have a large, powerful central unit located in an out-of-the-way place like a garage or utility room.

 

Tubes connecting to this unit are threaded throughout the house. All the home owner has to do is hook up a light, flexible hose to one of these tubes and they can suck up dirt and debris directly into the walls and out of sight.

 

Central vacuum systems are recommended in houses that have people with allergies. Because the central unit does not kick up dust like a bag model vacuum will, disposing of the debris keeps dust mites and allergens from drifting back into the air.

 

Structured Wiring

 

Structured wiring is the concept behind ethernet cables, phone lines and security systems. Wires are hidden within the walls to allow outlet receptacles located in convenient spots rather than meter after meter of visible cording.

 

This technique can be used to accomplish far more sophisticated tasks than people realize. For instance, structured wiring can be used to hook a television up to a cable box several rooms away. You can also integrate speakers directly into your ceiling or wall.

 

These systems can also have advanced control panels that perform functions through your Wi-Fi network or even your smartphone. Imagine being able to cue up music or your favorite TV show while still on the commute home from work.

 

All of these systems add utility and resale value to your home, not to mention comfort. For more ideas that add value to your luxury Burnaby real estate property, take a look at our selling services.

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Please visit our Open House at 212 2973 KINGSWAY in Vancouver.
Open House on Sunday, December 7, 2014 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Right in the heart of Vancouver East. Rupert and Kingsway. Short drive to everywhere. Minutes to Downtown, Metrotown, Richmond, North Vancouver. Bus stop at your doorstep. This immaculate, south facing, 2 bedroom condo comes with a largeden, insuite storage, laundry, open kitchen, one underground secured parking. Open House Sunday Dec 7th 2-4pm.
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I have just listed another property at 1306 989 NELSON ST in Vancouver.
Opportunity knocks. This bright and spacious two bed and two bath unit is located in the heart of Downtown. Most functional floor plan with 9ft floor-to-ceiling windows. Freshly painted, new brand new laminated flooring and move in anytime.Fantastic open S.W. views. Maintenance fee includes heat, air-conditioning, hot water, free laundry on same floor, and a long list of recreation facilities: clubhouse, BBQ area, exercise room, party room, media room and sauna etc. Pets are not allowed but rental allowed. Fabulous shopping and dining in all directions-Burrard, Robson, Davies, Granville, all within walking distance. Great investment property. Locker# 152.
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Our last post discussed a widely-growing trend of home owners adding in-law suites, apartments or guest houses to their properties. These additions add value and appeal to listed homes, especially for foreign buyers.

 

Not just any in-law suite will do, however. A certain set of criteria must be met for them to be functional and desirable to buyers. Here are some aspects that may help.

 

Accessibility

 

A large part of the reason that home owners are inviting their parents to stay with them is because they are concerned about advancing health issues. An in-law suite should be able to anticipate onset mobility problems and prepare for them now, rather than having to make modifications later.

 

For one, avoid steps or path obstructions that could lead to dangerous falls. Any areas with stairs should have ramp accessibility in case mobility problems require wheel chairs or other assistance means down the road. Hallways should also be spacious enough to allow the passage of medical equipment, including hospital beds.

 

Showers should have a sturdy grip rail to allow older adults easy entry and exit. A built-in shower chair can also improve the functionality for an independent senior who has difficulty standing for long periods of time.

 

Privacy

 

Part of the appeal of in-law suites is that they function as a separate component of the main house. They should be able to offer comparable facilities so that live-in parents will not have to come into the main part of the house several times a day to perform relatively simple tasks.

 

Including a kitchenette is one of the most beneficial ways to avoid this problem. A small refrigerator and oven range can allow parents to cook or prepare meals for themselves without having to feel as if they are intruding. Enough counter and cabinet space should be provided so that dry goods, plates and utensils can be stored and used without causing clutter.

 

Other amenities should include a sitting area for keeping occupied during the day. Bookshelves and a TV space can create entertainment when children and grandkids are not present.

 

Comfort

 

While an in-law apartment does not have a lot of square footage, it should be spacious enough to move around in without feeling cramped. There should also be enough room for a rather large and comfortable bed, along with a closet for replacement linens.

 

These apartments can also be made to feel cozy in order for in-laws to feel welcome and well cared-for. Be sure that the architecture feels homey rather than like a commercial property or care facility.

 

Always consult a contractor before starting your project to get advice, including how to file for the proper permits to have a separate dwelling as part of your Burnaby real estate property.

 

For more guidelines on improvements that add value and appeal to your home, consult one of our expert real estate agents. Take a look at our selling page to get started.

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